Friday, September 20, 2013

Ariel Lunark is a very patient person. As I've slowed my progress in getting through my commissions, she's been very understanding in the delay. Every project has been a struggle for me lately, and so having someone be kind enough to let me take the time I need is invaluable.

She commissioned a project that had occurred to me, but that I simply hadn't and probably wouldn't get around to. I loved the idea, and she pushed me to take it in directions I might not have.

Dreamcatcher antlers are something I thought of when I did my Dreamcatcher Nivicola Horns, but I was ready to move on to different projects at the time and it never was a priority. Ariel originally commissioned me to make a dream catcher for the Capreolinae antlers, but I had misgivings. I gave it a go and they didn't look right at all, the prongs were getting in the way and the arch of the center wasn't right. So I ended up making an entirely new set of antlers, similar to the Capreolinae but simpler, and of course made out of mesh. Mesh is just perfect for antlers, and it's lovely to be able to make seamless angles without worrying about sculpts and textures lining up. And of course, since the new antlers were made with a dream catcher in mind, it came together far better.

Where the cords hang down, I made sure to make them flexi as they add a nice movement along with the gently waving feathers as your AO moves. The cords, beads, feathers and of course antlers themselves are all scripted with my usual menu system. The cords and beads come in twelve and eleven colors respectively, the feathers in six, and the antlers come in twelve new colors. I decided to play around with them a little in a way I haven't done for the other antlers.

The base of antlers is very often a very different texture from the rest of them, and to reflect that I made them darker and rougher. To play with this contrast, I made a version of each texture with lighter tipped prongs and darker tipped prongs. I expanded the natural colors too, for more variety.

If you're a purist at heart, you can of course buy the antlers separately and enjoy them without all that tangled cord dangling in your face!

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